Christmas tree stand



Sept 22, 1959 F. P. zlERDEN 2,905,414

CHRISTMAS TREE STAND Filed Dec. 28, 1953 INVENTOR. /Cwk/. Z/EeoE/J BY mML.- fl

United States Patent 2,905,414 crmrsrMAs'rREE j Frank P. zierden,Milwaukee, Wit. Application December 28, 1953, Serial No.' @0,5m zclaims. (ci. 24Min f This invention relates to improvements in stands or'bases for Christmas trees and other-objects, Vsuch as ,door lamps andthe like. f i lIt is one object of the present inventionto provide aAstand 'or support for Christmas trees-.andthe like, having a basemember of such shape and size as ,to support larger offset or overhungweights than are'likely Yto be imposed on the stand, thereby providing asafe support even` though the article mounted in 'the stand is noffothenwise supported.` f

Another object of the invention is to provide stand or support forChristmas trees, clothes trees ,and the like, having a base member ofsuch flexibility 'as to adjust 'to the unevenness of or variations fromvlevelnes's which may be found in oors or other surfaces' on which ythebase Vand the object thereon, are placed.

- Another object of the invention is to l'provide a base member soshaped and constructed as to minimize 'the damage done to the pile of acarpet or r'ug on -which the stand and the object supported therebyrnaybe placed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a Separable base memberand cup member for Vr'ece'ti-vin'g vthe end of a Christmas tree trunkand the like, toffacilitate placing the cup in centered position onthetree trunk' and placingthe cup in centeredposition in the base. v

Another object of the invention is to provide a Christmas tree supportor stand comprising a separable base and cup in which the coac'tingsurfaces thereof are only frictionally engaged but substantially sealedIand completely scalable against leakage of waterfbetw'een such surfacesand beneath the stand.v Y

Another object of the invention isto 'provide a stand or support forChristmas trees and the like in which a base member is provided with acuplike-por`tin having a plurality of rounded end screws forpositioningA vthe trunk r other vertical mem-ber in the base in easilyadjustable vertical relation thereto.

Another object of the invention is to provide a Christmas tree stand orsupport having a base member and a Vcup member which are easilyseparated antlseverally nested for shipment and storage of apl'urality.of stands or for storage of the stand in .a household. f

Objects and advantages other than those, above set forth will beapparent from the following description when read in connection with theaccompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a stand with the base member and the cupmember thereof shown in separated positions. A

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view diametrically through the assembledstand.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the cup member; and

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional fragmentary view of portions of the basemember.

Generally, the base member comprises a base and sleeve in the base. Thebase is made of sheet metal with a flange-like relatively lowfrusta-conical oorengaging or rim section, a substantially horizontalintermediate section of considerable width and a relatively high andwide angle frusto-conical central section having a frusto-conical sleevethrough an aperture centrally therein. The base member is preferably 18inches or more in diameter which provides a base capable of snpporting aweight, with no tendency toward tipping, of at least 200 pounds on alever arm from the center of the base to a point vertically above 4therim. The v"rim section and intermediate section 'of the base flex toadjust to as much as 1/2 inch differences (in a 18 inch diameter base),in level of a oo'r. The cone angle of the rim section and its heightyare such that the weight of Athe Vstand and tree are distributed overva large area and, when used with deep pile 'carpet or rugs, some of theweight is borne by the intermediate section of the stand.

A fr'usto-conical sleeve of approXinrately 5 inches diameter, is hangedto provide 'a groove for receiving an edge of the central base section,one sleeve flange being formed over the edge of such section to preventremoval orl shifting of the sleeve relative to the base unless vsuchparts Vare partially destroyed.` A cup member with a fru'sto-coni'calside-wall is fitted into the sleeve to center the cup in the base and toretain the cup bottom above the level of the intermediate base section.A pointed pin or screw is xed centrally in the bottom of the cup forinitial positioning of the tree trunk and screws are provided throughthe cup side-wall and adjacent the lip thereof for further aligning thetree trunk with its axis on the cup axis, the 'screws having a sphericalor rounded end for easily adjusting the tree trunk or other verticalmember in truly vertical position.

Referring specifically to the drawings, reference numeral 10 generallydesignates a base member, numeral 11 generally `designates a sleeve inthe base member and 12 generally designates a cup member. The basemember 10 is preferably of relatively light sheet metal (16 to 22 gauge)with some resilience when formed as shown in the drawings. Such metalneed not be spring metal, the base proportions and shape being such asto obtain ilexibility and resilience in some parts thereof while`securing a high degree of rigidity in other parts thereof. The metalfrom which the base is formed, is initially annular but is formed toprovide rst or rim and second or top conical sections with oneintermediate horizontal section.

The rimor 'rst conical base section 1 6 of the base is formed inwardly(toward the center of the base) to provide a double thickness edge Vandthe entire rim is formed as the frustum of a hollow cone of Wide angle'.I'n -the usual case, the rim is the only portion of the stand engaging aflooror floor/covering and the rim retains suineient exibility Vto hearon the oo'r around its entire periphery, the rim eXing and compensatingfor up to 1pinch difference in elevation at the ends of 'a rim diameter.Hence, the stand gives the equivalent of three legs in stability on anuneven floor while retaining the full radius of the base as thecantileverarrn on which weights may be hung from the vertical aXi's ofthebase. t

The intermediate base section 17 is substantially horizontal and ispreferably from one-eighth to one-tenth of a radiueof the entire base inwidth. Ifeesired, the section 17 may he sloped slightly toward thecenter of the base but such sloping should be minimized to retainexibility and resilience both radially and peripherally in the basesection 17, even though such section is an annulus attached to otherbase sections at both of its circumferential edges.

The second conical or top base section 18 is also a frustum of a hollowcone and has a larger base diameter of more than three-fourths of thetotal diameter of the base member. The top section 18 extends upwardlyfrom the intermediate base section 17 at a slightly greater angle thanthe angle of the base rirn 16 relative to a floor. The top base sectionis intended to be substantially rigid, and it has been impossible forapplicant to detect flexing of such section even when as rnuch as 200pounds is applied on the end of a lever arm from the center of the baseand at a point above the base rim.

Sleeve 11 is formed with a conical side-wall 23 and a larger end ofsubstantially the diameter of the aperture in the base section 18.Adjacent the larger end of the sleeve, a ange 24 is formed by foldingthe sleeve side-wall on itself. In manufacturing the base member, thesleeve is then inserted in the base and the sleeve edge is formed overthe base section 18 to provide a ange 25. The two sleeve anges 24, 25thus deiine a groove in the sleeve side-wall in which the edge of thebase section 18 is retained, the ange being preferably vformed intofrictional horizontal relation with the base to avoid relative movementsof the sleeve and the base. The closely spaced double ring formed by theiianges adds very materially to the rigidity of the top base section.The smaller end of the sleeve extends into the base to a sutiicientdistance above the plane of the intermediate base section 17 to avoidinterference with flexing of the base sections 16 and 17.

The cup 12 has a conical side-wall 30 of the same angle as the wall ofsleeve 11 and the side-wall is rounded into a at bottom 31. The diameterof the cup is such that it is automatically centered and held in thesleeve 11 in vertical position when seated in the sleeve. A pin or screw3S is iixed or threaded centrally in the bottom of the cup and extends aconsiderable vdistance upwardly from the cup bottom and on the axis ofthe cup. The pin or screw 35 is formed with a relatively long taperpoint which can be readily driven into the trunk of the usual Christmastree if desired. The cup 12 is preferably of one piece and of relativelyheavy metal while the pin 35 is so affixed thereto as to be undisturbedby relatively heavy blows. It is however merely necessary to align thepin with the axis of the tree trunk and to adjust other means in the cupto hold the tmnk securely in vertical position.

The cup 12 is of a depth to provide a space of four 'to tive inches fromthe bottom of the cup to a number of threaded holes through the cupside-wall, in which screws are severally adjustable. The screws compriseround or spherical surfaced pads 36 at one end to bear on the tree trunkand have heads 37 at the other end which are knurled or otherwise formedfor easy gripping. It has been found that the best alignment andadequate centering of a Christmas tree or the like is obtained by theuse of rounded screw pads which permit slight adjustments of the treetrunk as the pads form only round indentations in the bark and sap woodof the tree. Three screws are adequate but four screws v tively closefit is obtained and leakage between the sleeve andthe cup can becompletely prevented by placing a water-insoluble material such aspetroleum jelly between the two parts, thus avoiding all possibility ofunnoticed leakage of water onto the floor or door covering beneath thestand.

Although but one embodiment of the present invention has beenillustrated and described, it will be apparent to those skilled intheart that various changes and modifications may be made therein withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of theappended claims.

I claim:

l. A Christmas tree stand comprising a base of unitary sheet metalhaving a bottom portion and a top portion and an intermediate portion,the bottom and top portions being hollow frusto-conical in shape and theintermediate portionA being annular and planar, the top portion ,havingan,V aperture therethrough and having a larger radius of substantiallythree-fourths of the bottom portion radius and the intermediate portionhaving a width of approximately one-fifth of the bottom portion radius,a hollow frusto-conical sleeve fixed at its larger end in the aperturein the top portion, and a cup havingra conical side wall at the sameangle as the sleeve and fitting into the sleeve for the entire lengththereof but extending no farther into the stand than the intermediateportion when the stand is in tree-supporting position whereby the bottomand intermediate portions are free to iiex under the weight of a tree,the top portion being substantially rigid due to stiffening by thesleeve for holding the cup axially in substantially vertical positionwhen supporting a tree thereby preventing contraction of the edgesdefining the aperture.

2. A Christmas tree stand comprising a base of unitary sheet metalhaving a bottom portion and a top portion and an intermediate portionjoining the bottom and top portions, the bottom and top portions beinghollow frusto-conical in shape and the intermediate portion beingannular and planar, the smaller end of the top portion being uppermostand having an aperture therethrough, a frusto-conical sleeve iixed atits larger end in the aperture in the top portion and extending downvwardly into the. base, and a cup fitting into the sleeve forsubstantially the entire length thereof but extending no farther intoythe stand than the intermediate portion whenv the stand is intree-supporting position whereby the bottom and intermediate portionsare free to flex under theweight of a tree, the top portion beingstiffen'ed to substantial rigidity by the sleeve and the cup for holdingthe cup axially in substantially vertical position when supporting atree, thereby preventing con- References Cited in the iile of thispatent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,631,227 see June 7, 1927 1,789,789Tallmadge Ian. 20, 1931 1,805,095 Horni May 12, 1931 1,855,762 KaminskiApr. 26, 1932 1,914,150 Muldoon June 13, 1933 2,371,903 Maier Mar. 20,1945 2,532,931 Miller ,Dec. 5, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Sweden Ian. 30, 1907

